Udupi: Pratvi Biotech Pioneers Tissue Farming in District
 
By Suvarna Brahmavar
Daijiworld Media Network—Udupi (RD/CN)

Udupi, Apr 11: Tissue farming is an innovative method especially in India which is a country of villages.  Farmers are the backbone of our country and farming is the life sustenance of a major part of Indian the population. However, this is losing relevance in present times, when more and more rural youth are migrating to cities and towns across the nation.

Tissue farming:

It’s a method where the tissues of plants—either from its bud, seed, leaves, roots, or other tissues are grown in the laboratory by providing it necessary nutrients and hormones.

Various stages:

The chief aspect of tissue farming lies in choosing the mother plant.  It can be identified by taking into consideration excellent varieties that give higher yield and are free from diseases.  Tissues are gathered from that healthy plant in the growing stage and treated with anti-fungus solution and disinfectant.  The tissues that are sourced in this way are stored in specific bottles free from bacteria in the laboratory.  The specific bottles are made to size depending on the growth of the plant in consideration.

The tissues that are stored in the laboratory grow and hundreds of shoots will be found resembling the original plant in 7–8 months.  In the next stage, these plants need to be transferred to green houses.  The most essential nutrients will be added to the water for the growth of plants in a controlled environment.  The plants are later transferred to plastic bags that contain soil and organic manure where it’s allowed to grow for a month. By then, the saplings are ready to be plant in the farms.

Benefits of tissue farming:

The chief benefits are multiple saplings that are free from disease and ready for harvest simultaneously. 

Pratvi Biotech–Pioneers in Tissue Farming:

It’s founded by Prasad Bhat and Prasanna Prasad Bhat under the guidance of Achyut Bhat in Petri, near here, with the objective of developing plants through tissue farming to supply saplings at a lower cost in the coastal district.  About 10 – 15 employees work at Pratvi Biotech and are creating interest in farming among the rural youth.

Awards:

Prasad Bhat was conferred the ‘Swashrama Shree’ award by Rural Development and Self Employment Training (RUDSET) Institute, Dharmasthala, for developing tissue farming. Bangalore-based Akhila Havyaka Mahasabha and Life Insurance Corporation of India felicitated him with the ‘Excellent Farmer’ award. 

Pratvi Biotech has been annually distributing 1,000 saplings to schools, colleges, temples, orphanages, social welfare, and voluntary organizations. 

Tissue farming defines growing hundreds of saplings in a controlled environment from any tissue of a plant.  It is possible to get nearly 400 saplings through tissue farming a single root of plantain.

Bumper crop of banana:

The demand for bananas, which are rich in minerals, protein, and other nutrients, is growing in India. A normal plantain generally yields 10-12 kg of bananas, while tissue farming helps obtain get disease-free, nutritious, top-class yield weighing much more.

Pratvi Biotech has been involved with tissue farming chiefly on the varieties – G – 9, robust, red banana, and ‘nendra’.  The saplings that are grown through tissue farming will bear fruit in about a year after being transplanted in the soil.  The yield depends on the organic manure and nutrients provided as well as water.  If the nutrients are provided as per the recommendations, the yield can reach 30 – 35 kg per plant. 

For more information, contact: 9845718622